At 3:00 a.m., the first individual pulled up to the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse to patiently wait for a box of food. Many individuals and families would fall in line behind shortly after, waiting for hours until the From Our Table To Yours Family Food Distribution officially started at 9:00 a.m.

The line was made up of grandparents who were trying to feed their grandchildren, families who had to pay their mortgage and other bills but didn’t have enough left for food, individuals who suffered a recent medical emergency, veterans who live on a fixed income that isn’t enough to make ends meet.

Volunteers, sponsors, and Feeding Tampa Bay employees gathered and boxes started to fill – with turkeys, fresh produce, stuffing, and other various holiday sides. Nearly 1200 families left the warehouse that day with a holiday meal and a smile.